Don LabriolaSound Blaster X-Fi PlatinumThe Platinum has all the connectivity you need for a desktop theater system or for listening to CDs, digital music files, handheld players, or multichannel DVD-Audio content. Throw in its ability to repair low-bit-rate MP3 files and badly recorded CD tracks and you have one of the few sound boards that is actually worth $200.

The Platinum has all the connectivity you need for a desktop theater system or for listening to CDs, digital music files, handheld players, or multichannel DVD-Audio content. Throw in its ability to repair low-bit-rate MP3 files and badly recorded CD tracks and you have one of the few sound boards that is actually worth $200.

Intended for entertainment applications, the Platinum model ($200 street) adds a wireless remote and an I/O box. The latter fits into a 5.25-inch drive bay and adds front-mounted stereo aux-in RCA jacks, MIDI-in and -out connectors, a quarter-inch headphone and stereo mic/line-in jacks with volume knobs, plus coaxial and optical S/PDIF inputs and outputs. Although pricey, this model is well designed and certainly worth the money if you need an easy way to attach your computer to a DVD recorder, handheld music player, or other external audio device.

Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum

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Bottom Line: The Platinum has all the connectivity you need for a desktop theater system or for listening to CDs, digital music files, handheld players, or multichannel DVD-Audio content. Throw in its ability to repair low-bit-rate MP3 files and badly recorded CD tracks and you have one of the few sound boards that is actually worth $200.

Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum

Sound Blaster X-Fi Platinum

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